Hey, folks! In this week’s #BlabWithSandy, we have actress, host, and painter Shweta Rohira with us. Shweta is a multi-talent artist who has featured in music videos, acted in films, hosted shows, and so much more! Let’s wait no further and dive into the exciting blab I had with her:
Sandy: Hello, Shweta! Hope you’re doing as beautiful as your art. 🙂
Shweta: Hi Sandy. Hahahaha, yes, indeed!
Sandy: Could you throw some artistic light on your early background?
Shweta: I am Mumbai ki Chokri. I belong to a Sindhi family, and I was born and brought up in Mumbai. I did my schooling at Arya Vidya Mandir and my junior college from M.M.K. in Bandra. I was fascinated by the field of media since my graduation days, and I always wanted to do something with regards to art and media.
Sandy: How and when did you venture into Art and Media?
Shweta: I did my Bachelor’s in mass media from National College and completed my Master’s in mass media too, from MET. After which, I started working as a freelancer for a few top publications like Bombay Tines, HT, etc., and I was also a ghost blogger. I did ghost blogging for many media groups. I took a small sabbatical for about two years, after which, I joined theatre, did painting workshops, and was part of short films.
Sandy: Could you let us know about the inception of your acting career? And how do you rate your journey as an actress?
Shweta: I feel super blessed to be a part of theatre groups as I am more of a director’s muse, if I can say so! I am game to accomplish the director’s mission and that’s what kept me going to becoming an actress. During college, I was a junk eater and whilst I was at one of the Mc Donald’s outlets, one casting director caught hold of me and that’s how I landed up playing one of the girls in the much famous Falguni Pathak’s music video ‘Saawan Mein’ which became quite a rage back then.
I did many tele shopping ads, which again, were a rage during the early 2000s. I was also into academics, but the acting bug never left me. I was approach for a short film and the main reason for accepting it was the presence of Kanwaljeet sir in the film. It was a father-daughter plot and I enjoyed playing the part.
That’s how my acting journey started, and I followed it up with adverts, plays, and films. My stage debut was in the play “That’s my girl”, my short film ‘Parineeti’ did wonders, while my other projects brought me name. I would say, my journey has been quite fulfilling and I am happy the way it has shaped up and I am game for more! 🙂
Sandy: That’s nicely put up, Shweta. I know that this question may need us requiring more time but just to put it all out for once – you were and sometimes, still are projected in the media as Salman Khan’s rakhi sister. How did you cope up with it and how easy or difficult is it to overcome the tabloids and come up with your own sense of individuality with the work that you have been doing?
Shweta: This is an interesting question! It will require more space in the interview if we start talking about my relationship with Salman Khan and the way media tags me as his “rakhi sister” instead of putting out my own identity. I kind of gate crashed his house and wanted to tie up a rakhi and that ritual continued. Its not only Salman, but I have many other “rakhi brothers”, so it will be injustice if I do not talk about them too.
Coming to the aspect of how the media tags me, I do not blame them as that gets them more footage. No matter how much hard work I do, sometimes I do feel they need to remove that tag, but I have gotten used to it. I now take it as a challenge to overcome that tag with more hard work and keep chasing my goals which shall eventually have them not associate me with any of such tags, hahaha!
Sandy: Brilliantly answered! I do want to bring this chapter of your life, wherein you garnered good name for yourself with the short film “Spotless” that featured Sonu Nigam. Some anecdotes on it?
Shweta: It was based on the acid survivors and when I got to play that character, I got to learn that people tend to sympathize with them. It was a challenging role for me as it took a toll on my mental space, but the outcome was terrific. It’s not just the survivors but their families too face issues. Playing the part made me look at life on a bigger scale. Working with Sonu Nigam ji was nice, and I always look forward to such meaningful films.
Sandy: Acting, painting, writing, and now hosting! You are touching all the facets of being an all-round artist. What excites you the most about the above?
Shweta: Well, I would like to combine all the above and term myself as an Expressionist. All of those are an expressing form of art but in different forms. Personally, be it any segment, only when it excites me, shall I start doing it. Be it a painting project, an interview, film, writing, etc., I give it my full.
Sandy: Your transformation journey is another interesting aspect of your life. It would be great if you could share a few snippets.
Shweta: It was not like somebody telling me to lose weight or it wasn’t like I had to prove myself to somebody. I used to be 82 kgs and a chubby girl who enjoyed life the same way in which I am enjoying it currently. I was always happy in my skin, and I shall continue to do so.
I just wanted to become what I used to be during my college and fit into the XS size, hahaha! I faced small health and weight problems, so I decided to turn healthy and prove my consistency. I started working on my health and shed some kilos of my body. Apart from exercising, I also read books that helped me understand what I was doing. Nutrition is also a key to turning healthy in life.
Quick Shot Round:
- Biggest fear: I do not have any fears but maybe, would like to tick mark by bucket list items as soon as I can
- If you’d to barter your life for a day, with whom would it be and why? Nobody! I love myself
- If not an artist or a painter, you’d been a? A librarian who would be sitting and reading all day
- Favorite holiday spot: Mahabaleshwar
- Most used app: WhatsApp and Instagram
- Imagine being stuck in a lift with two film personalities tagged along with you. Who would you want those two to be? Sanjay Dutt and Ranveer Singh
- Your biggest regret: I have no regrets
- A film you watched recently and wished doing it: Dash & Lily on Netflix
- Good and bad about the film industry: The good thing is that the industry has scope to give work to everyone at some or the other point. The bad thing is that people are not taking content seriously and it has become more of a business where I do not see a presence of passion
- Your worst habit: I keep on blabbering with no filters, lol!
- When idle, what does Shweta indulge in? Day dreaming
Sandy: Coming to your current live online session ‘Chitter Chatter’, what is it all about and how has the reception been?
Shweta: ‘Chitter Chatter’ is my show wherein I interview people from all walks of life. Be it authors, actors, writers, etc., I get to bring out learnings out of their stories. It has been receiving good viewership on Instagram and my followers love it.
I have crossed over 200 interviews and when I get to see the comments, its all love that I keep receiving. This lets me know that we are going on the right track and it’s only going to reach many more people from here on.
Sandy: What’s in the pipeline for you in the coming months?
Shweta: A lot! I have quite a few interesting things on my plate. Let’s keep blabbing Sandy, for I shall let you know about them in our next set of blabs! 😊
Editor’s note: It was lovely getting to interact with Shweta Rohira and bring her journey out! She is a livewire who has many talents up her sleeve. Wishing Shweta, a fun-filled ride ahead, with lot many accolades and goodness!